Coconut Macaroon Scandal (Christmas Cookies)

Where does one turn for help when they need a fiancé pronto? Emma Davis has received a legal summons to return to her hometown of Plattsmouth, to face a lawsuit against Lucy’s Place, the restaurant bakery she inherited from her grandmother. Also named in the lawsuit are Emma’s parents, David and Anna, who disowned their daughter when she broke off her engagement to her lying, cheating boyfriend. Unbelievable? There’s more. To save both her grandmother’s bakery and her own start-up, and inherit the rest of her grandmother’s fortune, Emma needs to get MARRIED. That’s where help from a friendly matchmaking ghost may be just what the frazzled bakery owner needs! Enter Sebastian Lewis, Emma’s previously anonymous customer, who has been patronizing her coconut macaroons for years.

Sebastian has been a secret admirer and quickly agrees to aid Emma in her dilemma. Indeed, with his good looks, wealth, and legal resources, Sebastian appears to be the answer to all of Emma’s needs. As the court date approaches, life-threatening coincidences reveal that the lawsuit is not the only trouble born of her parents’ ill will. One wonders what she would have done without Sebastian’s help, confirming the wisdom of her grandmother’s Will requirement in hindsight. Readers may find this swoon-worthy, or not, depending on their affinity for the damsel in distress trope. Sebastian is as golden as Emma’s family is pure evil in this simplistically characterized short read. Coconut Macaroon Scandal is a great palate cleanser for the reader who is looking for a straightforward storyline and has no need for subtlety.

Joan Lai